Flash light



May 6 1924.

Filed March 4, 1922 Patented May 6, 1924i.-

CHARLES OsEAN, or WOODCLIEF, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'ro UNION CARBIDE a CAR- BON RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC., A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

FLASH LIGHT.

f Application led March 4, 1922. Serial No. 541,137.

To all whom it may Cof/wem.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES CSEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodcliff, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash Lights, of which the following is a specifcation.

This invention relates to portable electric lamps energized by a battery composed of separate cells placed side by side and removably mounted in a casing.

It has heretofore been proposed to use unit cell batteries in electric lamps of` the flat flashlight type, and various means have been devised with this end lin view. The present invention embodies improvements in structures of this type. It has for its principal objects the provision of simple and effective cell holding and ,circuit com-y pleting means.

In general, the invention comprises a frame consisting of an upper plate rigidly secured to the flat wall of the flashlight casing, and a lower plate looselyv mounted in the Pasing and attached by sprin s to the upper plate.` The cells are inserte between the plates and are securely held in operative position by the contractile force of the springs. The frame is so constructed as to connect the cells in series. The elimination of connecting wires effected in this way, is

` a particular advantage of the invention. Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the succeeding description.

The invention described herein is a modi-n hingedI at 3. The embodiment of the in` vention which has been selected for illustration is lntended for use as a pocket {lash- The dimensions Any of casing 1 and engage a depressible locking catch 5, of known type, when the cover is closed.

A bulb holder 6 having a threaded stem 7 is mounted in one end of casing 1. The holder is partly received within a semicircular recess 8 in the casing wall and is secured to the wall by soldering, or in' any other suitable manner. A corresponding re' cess 9 in the cover 2 lits over the projecting portion of the holder when the cover is in closed position. The exterior rim of the holder is preferably substantially flush with the surface of the casing. A lamp bulb 1() is screwed into the stem 7 and the Outer terminal of the lamp is in electrical contact with the stem. The central lamp terminal 11 extends below the end of the stem and engages contact member 12, preferably 'of spring metal, which is secured by metal rivet 12 to the upper part of the cell supporting structure.

This structure comprises, yas its principal elements, a metal bracket 13, secured by soldering or other suitable means to the wall of casing 1, and upper and lower plates 14 and 15,' of insulating material. Coil springs 16 and 17 are attached to the uppery plate 14 and the lower ends of these springs are secured to the bottom plate 15. The

lspring is not in circuit with the casing.

Contact member 12 the casing. c ,a

A switch 22 is secured to the casing, and insulating plate 15 is cut away at 23 to permit the movement of the switch into circuit closing position.

Cells 24 and is also insulated fromy 25 are shown in outline in Fi 1. The electrical circuit in which these cel s are series connected may be traced as follows: Through cell 24 to rivet 20, conductor strip 21 and spring 17, down through spring 17 to conductor strip 19, rivet 18, and cell 25, from cell 25 to rivet 12, contact strip 12 and the central lamp terminal, through the filament to the exterior terminal of the lamp and thence to the casing and.

switch 22, finally through the switch 22 to the zinc base of cell 24.

The lamp is made ready for service merely by the insertion of the two cells, which have the usual paper wrapping or other lateral insulation, the frame providing the necessary conductive parts for connecting the cells in series. As the dimensions of the closed case are such thatno undue freedom of motion is allowed the cells, and as the contact members are spring pressed against the electrodes, good electrical contact is permanently assured.

yA metal casing has been described, but it will be understood that features of the invention are applicable as well to non-conductive casings. The number and alinement of the cells, as shown, arepreferable fer.

pocket flashlights of the flat type. For other purposes or for casings of other kinds, however, the battery may be composed of a different number of'cells, the frame parts' being suitably duplicated to accommodate them. Various other changes may be made in the form and arrangement of parts, within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable battery operated electric lamp, comprising a casing, a cell supporting frame therein comprising a rigidly mounted plate, a movable plate, and spring means connecting the plates and adapted to exert compressive force upon a plurality of battery cells disposed between said plates, the

supporting frame providing a conductive path for connecting the cells in series. v

2. A portable battery operated electric lamp, comprising a casing, plates carrying contact' members adapted to engage the terminals off a plurality of cells, and spring means connecting the plates.

3. A portable battery operated electric lamp, comprising a casing, plates carrying contact members, a plurality of cells similarly arranged in the casing and with their electrodes in engagementwith said contact members, and spring means for connecting the plates. l

4. A portable battery operated electric lamp, comprising a casing, a member rigidly mounted on said casing, an insulating plate plates and ladapted to engage the terminals of a plurality of battery cells, one of said springs being insulated from'said casing and forming part of a conductivepath between cell terminals of opposite polarity.

6. A portable battery operated electric lamp, comprising aiat metal casing, springconnected plates in said casing and adapted to receive a plurality of cells therebetween, said spring-connected plates affording a conductive path for connecting a plurality7 of cells in series. v

7. A` portable battery operated electric lamp, comprising a fia-t metal casing, a lamp bulb mounted therein, an insulating plate mounted in the casing ,and adjacent the bulb, a contact member carried by the plate and adapted to engage the central terminal of the lamp, a second insulating plate attached by spring means to the first-mentioned plate, contact members upon said platesfand adapted to engage the terminals of a plurality of cells, and means for connecting cells in series and establishing an electrical circuit through the contact member and the filament of the lamp.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

CHARLES OSEAN. 

